for more than 107 years, vmi has done more than educate students. it has guided their transformation into citizens, warriors, and leaders. vmi graduates serve with honor in nation's defense, just as many are doing in afghanistan and other plants. -- lands. i mourn with you the 15 brave souls who have been lost. i join with you and praying for the many vmi graduates who are right now serving in harm's way. may god bless all who serve and all who have served. of all the vmi graduates, and none is more distinguished, perhaps, then general george marshall, the chief of staff of the army became secretary of state, secretary of defense, helped to vanquish fascism and plant it europe's restcue from despair. general marshall once said, "the only way human beings can win a war is to prevent it." those words were true in his time, and in a courtroom in our time -- and they are true in our time. month, our nation was attacked again. a u.s. ambassador and three fellow americans are dead, murdered in benghazi, libya. among the dead or three veterans, all on a mi